I have found the one whom my soul loves
by trebleclefstories
Summary: Our universe grants every soul a twin—a reflection of themselves—the kindred spirit – And no matter where they are or how far away they are from each other—even if they are in different dimensions, they will always find one another. This is destiny; this is love. -Julie Dillon
1. Him

He had given up hope a long time ago. At the age of 12 when his numbers came in and sported a zero, he was absolutely devastated. I mean, how did he not have a soulmate? Everyone he knew had numbers on their wrists or had already found their soulmates. He didn't understand how he didn't have one at all.

"Don't worry about it," his dad said. "You will find your special someone. Just be patient."

And he was patient. He went on multiple dates with multiple girls, trying to see if any of them could fill the void that he had in his heart. If he didn't have a soulmate, maybe he could find his life-mate. He had heard of cases where people either ignored their clocks or didn't have any and lived perfectly happy lives with a person that was good for them. He was determined to find that person. None of them did it. None of called to him. None of those girls were the one.

When he met Bella, he thought he had found her. Something about her drew him in. She was kind, clumsy, beautiful, shy, awkward as hell, and she made his heart beat faster. She had a clock, with numbers counting down until the moment when she met her soulmate but she didn't really pay attention to it. You see, Bella was determined to fall in love with a person by her own standards. Not because they were her soulmate, but because she felt like a better version of herself when she was with them. Besides, Bella had seen soulmate relationships fall apart. Her parents were the first sign that soulmate relationships weren't fool-proof. Sometimes life-mates were better suited for each other in the mortal world that they lived in.

So he decided to befriend her. They got along spectacularly. They were like two pees in a pod, always seeming to be on the same brainwave. It wasn't a secret to anyone that he had a crush on her. His dad noticed it the day they went over to Charlie's to welcome her to Forks and watch the game. That night he was teased relentlessly.

"Just ask her out, son. Who knows, maybe she'll be the one." Billy told him later that night after he had over-exhausted all of his horrendous jokes regarding Jacob and Chief Swan's daughter.

He had been going over various ways to ask her to go out with him on a date when he saw _him_. At first Jacob didn't really think anything of it. Bella had told him she didn't believe in soulmates so he thought he had a chance with her. But then he saw that smile. The smile that he had seen on all of their faces. The faces of the people in his life who were fortunate enough to have found their soulmates.

He knew he had lost the battle and decided to accept defeat. So when his dad payed him twenty dollars to go ask Bella to break up with her boyfriend, he assumed it was because his dad felt sorry for him and wouldn't see his son give up on a chance to be happy so easily.

Things started looking up for him when Edward left town. Bella was suddenly available and completely heartbroken and Jacob vowed to be the one who picked up the pieces. For him, Edward's departure just reinforced his belief that soulmates weren't always the only answer. If anything, they could make people bitter. When Sam Uley dumped his fiancée Leah Clearwater after he found his soulmate Emily Young, Jacob didn't get it. Sam had a perfectly loving, established relationship with a girl who was crazy about him. Sure, she wasn't his soulmate but that meant little these days. People weren't patient enough to wait for that sort of thing and it had been proven time and time again that just because someone is your soulmate doesn't mean that they are the only person for you. A soulmate was just supposed to complement you, not be your other half. It was as if something beyond the soulmate bond connected Sam and Emily. But that was ridiculous. Those things only existed in story books; in the legends that he had learned as a kid.

He could make Bella happy. He would make Bella happy. All he needed was time. He needed time in order to let Bella heal. A year and she would be his.

Everything changed when he phased for the first time. Suddenly, all of the stories were real. Werewolves and vampires existed. Imprinting wasn't some made-up fairytale told to little girls at night when they asked what finding their soulmate would feel like. Sam had imprinted on Emily. Freaking Paul Lahote had imprinted on his sister Rachel.

Instantly, he hated it. It wasn't like a soulmate bond that could be ignored or disregarded. Imprinting was a supernatural bond that was greater than a soulmate could ever be. Imprinting was a phenomenon where the wolf found his other half. The person that was truly made for him in every sense of the word. That girl became his everything. He no longer belonged to himself and no one else could possibly matter as much as she could.

That's what made him hate it so much. He didn't want to be a slave to some stranger that the universe decided he was supposed to be tied to for eternity. He wanted to fall in love. He wanted to be free to make that choice.

But he didn't worry too much. He didn't have a soulmate and all of the imprints were soulmates. Still, when he didn't imprint on Bella, he couldn't explain his anger. Maybe it was because he was worried that Bella, the hopeless romantic, would choose her soulmate, Edward—who just so happened to be a vampire—over him, the poor Native kid from the Rez that turned into a giant wolf with a father in a wheel chair and a dead mother.

In theory, he was the better choice. He was alive. He had a heartbeat. He was warm. He did not kill people or drink blood. He could age. He could give her children. He could make her happy.

But apparently she didn't see any of that. She didn't seem him. Sure, she loved him; but not the way that he loved her. It was a love that he couldn't really explain. There was a pull to her that he could not seem to get rid of. She called to him. She called to him so much that even when _they_ got married, he showed up for a dance and to offer his congratulations. Because no matter how much he tried, he couldn't ever hate her and he couldn't break the soulmate bond between Bella and her leech.

He left after that. Decided to take off and start somewhere else. He didn't want to be there to see everything unfold. He didn't want to be there to see her become a vampire; his enemy. He would still phase. He would still protect the people that he encountered from any vamperic threats. He restricted himself to only human drinkers though. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that if it came down to it, he would not be able to kill Bella or one the Cullens; especially the leaders of the so-called family Carlisle and Esme. They had taken care of him after half his body had been crushed by a newborn vampire. Just the thought of killing them made him shiver.

About a month later, he laid on a bed in a motel he had checked into because he missed human food and desperately needed a hot shower. He had his eyes closed and was thinking about where to go next. Should he just roam around as a wolf? Should he try to finish school or get a job? Should he pull the Cullen's favorite trick and live in one town for a couple of years and then move from place to place? Honestly, he had no clue what to do with his life. He wanted to go back home eventually, he just didn't know when. No time seemed right. He knew what waited for him if he ever returned. The fact of the matter was that Sam would soon stop phasing and the pack would need a new alpha. His father wasn't going to live forever and the tribe would need a new chief.

He laid there contemplating all of the responsibility that would be placed upon his shoulders the moment he decided to step foot back on the Rez. But he couldn't run forever. Right now he had an excuse. He was a hot-headed, rebellious teenager that just wanted to figure out his place in the world. But that wouldn't always be the case.

He was just starting to doze off when he felt a warmness in his chest and stinging on his wrist. He looked down at the clock on the inside of his left wrist and saw the zeros start spinning rapidly. His eyes widened when he saw what was happening. Slowly, the zeros stopped spinning and all that was heard was ticking sound. He stared at his wrist intently when suddenly, the most incredible thing happened: the zeros disappeared. In its place were 3 numbers, displayed boldly.

12:03:09

He couldn't believe his eyes. He had a soulmate? For the past 4 ½ years Jacob had been trying to find his soulmate and had no success. He thought he didn't have one. _There is no way_ , he thought, _that's impossibl_ e. But deep down he knew it wasn't that strange of a thought. Stranger things happened every day.

A part of him was excited to meet his soulmate in 12 years, 3 months, and 9 days. But the larger part of him found the idea ridiculous. The universe had already taken so much away from him; his life, his family, his friends, his identity. There was no way he was going to let the universe dictate his relationship. The funny thing was it already had. The absence of a soulmate in the past four years had already marked him in ways he wouldn't even begin to understand.

Still, he was stubborn and determined to have autonomy over his actions and his life so in the morning he went to the store and bought some athletic tape to wrap around his wrist and cover the clock. He wouldn't look at it, he wouldn't think about it. He would just live his life as if this had never occurred.

And it worked for many years. He was able to block out the memory of that night of September 11, 2006. He grew up in that time. Even though he was frozen at 16, he had matured greatly. Of course, it didn't happen overnight.

For about a year after he left the Rez, he went wolf. Phasing back to human had been a hell of an experience. He had forgotten what it felt like to be on two feet and sleep in a warm bed and eat a cheeseburger. God how he had missed cheeseburgers. After that short period of going animal, he decided it was time to get his act together. He wanted to finish high school at least. He called his dad and was able to make arrangements to take a placement exam that would put him in the classes necessary to finish his schooling. Turns out he was right on track. He enrolled in Alpine High School in Alpine, Texas. Amount of students enrolled: 277.

The experience was a strange one for him. Unlike back in Washington, here, Jacob was popular. He was the quarterback of the small town football team. He was Captain of the basketball team. He was the leader of interest groups and involved in the few clubs the school offered. He had friends, he had great relationships with his teachers, he had good grades, and he loved feeling the sun on his skin every day. Most importantly though, he had the girls. And boy, did he have a lot of them. His good looks, popularity, intelligence, and overall charming nature had all of the girls willing to drop their panties at a moment's notice.

He'd be lying if he said he didn't agree to any of the scandalous proposals made towards him. It almost seemed as if he had a new girl every other week. Now this was different from the old Jacob. The old Jacob was worried about not having a soulmate. The old Jacob was in love with the _idea_ of Bella. The old Jacob was a cute but shy kid who lacked confidence. The new Jacob was different. He was confident and demanded attention wherever he went. The new Jacob realized he had never been in love with Bella, just the idea of being able to have her. The pull that he felt to her mysteriously disappeared that same night of September 11, 2006 and it was redirected somewhere else. Most importantly, the new Jacob kept his soulmate clock hidden from others.

This was convenient when he was out looking for girls to win over. He always used the same line, "I keep it covered because I want to be surprised. You never know baby, you might be it." Gosh, high school girls ate it right up. The night he lost his virginity was one he wished he could forget but probably never would. It wasn't because the sex was bad, because it wasn't. Truth be told, it was actually really good. He held out a lot longer than he had expected and he made the definitely more _experienced_ girl orgasm so that was always a good sign. But no, it was a night he wished he could forget because it was the first time he had ever thought about the soulmate he was supposed to meet in 11 years. _Oh great, I just fucked a girl and now I'm thinking about another one. I'm an asshole._

That's why he wished he could forget it. He didn't want to think about the future and destiny or fate or whatever you call it. He was going to cheat fate, he was sure of it. There was nothing out there stronger than his personal desires and personal needs. He was determined to satisfy them.

So came along the string of "girlfriends" and "study partners" that he went through. Once he bedded them, he left them. Oddly enough, no one seemed to be mad at him because he was never a jerk about it. It was comforting in a way, being able to take out all one's frustrations in such a physical way. Sex was an outlet that he enjoyed and looked forward to. It always seemed to be the highlight of his day.

After graduation, he decided to go visit La Push. When he got home, everyone embraced him as if he had never left. It was sweet being home for a few months. He had grown up and matured a lot in the time he had been away and everyone could see it. Jacob was different, but it was a good different. Still, he was never the same happy, go-lucky kid that loved putting a smile of someone's face. He couldn't ever figure out why he wasn't like that anymore. He wished he could be like that still. It was as if a part of him was missing.

Determined to find that missing piece of himself, Jacob set off from La Push in pursuit of greater things. He ended up in Dahlonega, Georgia. It was a charming little town with a population of about 5,000. It was in northern Georgia and had a beautiful view of the mountains on the horizon. He was able to get a lease on a little cabin house on the outskirts of the town. It was perfect for him. He could go out for runs, phase, and bring girls back to his secluded home without hearing any talk from the townsfolk. He even enrolled in classes at the University of North Georgia which had a campus in town.

He stayed there for about 4 years. Dahlonega was comfortable for him. He was an engineering major at the university. He had his own place. He bought a car. He had a good job as a mechanic's assistant. He even had a steady girlfriend. Everything was good, but nothing was grand. Dahlonega was a lovely place but it wasn't home. Nothing exciting ever happened. The simple life was great but he needed more.

So on June 27, 2012 at the age of 22, he packed his bags and set off for somewhere that he could find adventure. The next evening he was in Miami. Now this was somewhere that he could experience life in a whole different way. For a small town kid, the Miami culture was a shock. It was truly its own little world. Everywhere he went there were people speaking Spanish, signs and billboards written in Spanish, Latin restaurants and bars, Cuban coffee houses and clothing stores. It was unlike anything he had ever seen or been exposed to. But it was what he needed. It was what he craved. The partying, the nightlife, the women, the culture, the sun; it was all a breath of fresh air.

While in high school and college, he discovered that he was actually a very fast learner. Maybe it had to do with the werewolf gene finally kicking in. He had an almost eidetic memory and the rate by which he was able to perform was astounding. This prompted him to learn Spanish. He picked it up rather quickly. Being surrounded by the language was incredibly helpful because it gave him opportunities to practice. And he spoke it rather well. People were always so surprised when they heard the tall Native man-child speak to them in the romance language that he took it upon himself to learn Portuguese and French as well.

It was especially useful when he tried to pick up girls every Friday night. Most would call him a player, a lady's man, a womanizer. But it wasn't true. Yeah he liked having sex, who doesn't? But he was always kind and always courteous. He prided himself on being a caring lover and just a good human being. Not to say that he didn't like it rough, because after all, he was part animal. He didn't want to cuddle after sex. He didn't want to talk. He just wanted make sure that his partner for the night didn't feel like he had used them or taken something from them. That's what led to one of his most important rules: never sleep with a virgin. He hadn't yet and he wouldn't ever. From what he heard from the guys at work, the ladies seemed to get a little too attached if you took their virginity. They were harder to shake off.

And that's something he definitely didn't want. He wasn't going to stay in Miami forever. It was a temporary filling of the void that he seemed to carry with him every day.

After about 3 years in Miami, he decided to leave again. This time he made his way up the state and stopped in Tampa, Florida. It wasn't as fast-paced as Miami but it definitely had a different atmosphere than what he had grown used to. Tampa was pleasant; unbearably hot but it rained enough to remind him of home. _Why the hell do they call this the sunshine state?_ Sometimes he wondered if he was still in Florida.

He started school again, taking some engineering courses here and there just to give him something to do. He got a job as a substitute teacher and enjoyed getting a chance to feel like a kid again. True, technically he was eternally 16, but he had lived through so much he felt 35. Surprising even himself, he got involved with a church. Goodness he hadn't stepped foot in one since before his mother died. But something about the place made him feel safe. It made him feel important and for once in his life he felt he had purpose.

He obtained a new family within his church. He learned how to play guitar and joined their worship team. It was a close-knit sense of community that he had been missing ever since he left La Push so many years ago. He even went on a mission trip to Panama and tested out his Spanish among the locals. Everything finally seemed like it was falling into place. But he knew he couldn't stay there forever. As much as he wished he could, people were going to notice that he wasn't aging. The oldest he could pass for was 25, but even that was a stretch.

Not to mention, the pull in his chest was getting stronger. It was pulling him away from his beautiful Tampa sanctuary. Where to, he wasn't sure yet. And that's how he found himself sitting in the prayer pavilion on the church grounds. He needed guidance. He needed direction. He needed a sign.

"Staring at the floor isn't going to get you any answers, you know."

Jacob jumped slightly in surprise. He turned around to see Pastor David walking towards him. _Lovely, I just got scared by the pastor. I'm a wolf for crying out loud_. "Hey Pastor,"

"Jacob, how are you?" Pastor David asked. He was rather young for a pastor. He was in his early 30s and had opened up the church about five years ago in an area that was in need. It had all started in the auditorium of the local high school but as more people were drawn in, the congregation grew and called for an expansion. It was now on a 7 acre plot of land and had multiple buildings to fit the congregation of over 2,000.

"Honestly, Pastor, I'm lost." Jacob replied. "I don't know what to do. I came here searching for answers."

"Answers to what?" the young minister inquired.

"When, I first came to Tampa, I wasn't expecting to become so attached. I thought that it would just be another place. But it's really been like a second home to me. I have grown and matured so much in the few years I've been here and it really put some things into perspective for me. I have everything I could ever want but there's something missing. Lately, I've been feeling a pull to leave here and just move. There's something out there waiting for me but I just can't figure out what it is or where to find it."

David stared knowingly at the young man's covered wrist, "When I first became a Christian, things changed. Life made sense. It had purpose and value and I finally felt like I belonged. I was content being a member of the congregation and listening to the preacher give a sermon on this, that and the other. When they started to give me opportunities to preach or give lessons I knew I had found my calling. It was perfect for me. I got to experience what it was like to be a preacher minus all of the responsibility that comes with leading the church. But one day, I was sitting on a park bench praying. Because much like you now, I had developed this need to just go. I wanted to go and build a church. I didn't know where, I didn't know when. All I knew was that something in my life was going to change dramatically.

"So I stood up from where I was standing and I looked up to God and changed my prayer. I said, 'Lord, you know what I want. Now, tell me what _You_ want me do.' And it worked. What I had been feeling in my heart was true. I was meant to go out and plant a church thousands of miles away from home. So I quit my job, packed a few of my things into my car and drove.

"As I was driving through Tampa, I had a come to Jesus moment and that's when I knew that this was where I was supposed to be. It wasn't a feeling or a big neon sign that told me this. It was a sense of peace and absolute certainty with the decision I had made. That was it. Nothing complicated or extreme; I just knew."

"Have you ever regretted your decision?" Jacob wondered.

"Not once," Pastor David smiled. "I love what I do here. I love the people that I get to talk to every day. So no, I have never regretted it. And on the plus side, I found my soulmate here and I married her. You can't get much better than that."

And just like that Jacob knew what he had to do, "Thank you Pastor David. You have been an inspiration to me and I can't thank you enough for all that you do."

A few months later—just in time for December—he had sold his apartment along with the majority of his things and drove to where his heart was telling him to go. He was surprised when he discovered that the place where he was meant to be was Forks. He had been back almost every year for about two weeks at a time to spend time with his dad, sister, nieces and nephews, the pack, and all of the imprints.

In a way, it shouldn't have shocked him. He always knew he would have to come back and take charge of the tribe and take over from Sam. He just didn't expect that time to be now. The truth was, it had been twelve years since he left and life had gone on without him. People got married, had babies, imprinted, and he wasn't there for any of it. Well, he had been there for some of it. He tried his best to come down whenever someone got married. And let me tell you, it was quite often.

Sam and Emily had gotten married and were pregnant with kid number 3. Rachel and Paul were married and had 5 boys with a little girl on the way. Jared had imprinted on Kim and married her. Quil had imprinted on Emily's niece Claire and Quil was currently following the fourteen-year-old girl like a loyal guard dog. Even Brady and Collin had imprinted and gotten married. A big surprise was when he heard that Charlie and Sue had gotten married a couple months after he left. The even greater surprise was when he heard that they had gotten pregnant. It shocked everyone. Both Charlie and Sue were 43 and had grown children so they never expected something like this to occur. Regardless, Lucas Harry Swan was the light in everyone's life. He had this quality about him that made you wonder if anyone could be as good and as pure as he was.

Some things were the same, though. Embry, Leah, and Seth were all still single, but content. Embry was living the single life, much like Jacob used to, having a new girl on his arm every other week. His clock kept him that way for another 5 years. Leah was still alone but less bitter. She knew she had a soulmate and was just hoping that she would imprint one day. Seth was, as always, his happy go-lucky self, content waiting 10 more years.

When he knocked on the door of the house he grew up in with a pack on his back and a box in his arms, he didn't really know what to expect from his father. The hug he received was more than he could have ever hoped for. "Jacob, welcome home."


	2. Her

She was different. From the time that she was conceived, it was very obvious how different she was from anyone else. I mean, who's pregnancy lasts for only a month? To be completely honest, no one knew exactly _what_ she was until the gruesome way that she entered the world. The birth had been horrendous. Her mother sacrificed her human life out of love for a creature that was way out of the scope of what any of them would have imagined. None of them would have had it any other way. The moment the sweet little girl entered the world, she captured everyone's hearts.

To be completely honest though, her mother and father thought she was going to be a boy. Now, not all of the family members believed the same thing. There was a betting pool as soon as they accepted that the child inside of Bella's womb was a child and not a monster. And while Alice could not see the baby's future, she did have the foresight to buy neutral baby clothing for when the little one entered the world.

Her name was another thing that took everyone by surprise. Her mother must have been feeling sentimental when she was considering possible baby names. Renesmee. It was a strange name; a mix between Renee (her maternal grandmother) and Esme (her paternal grandmother). Her middle name was a little more normal. Carlie; it was a mix between Carlisle and Charlie. She had a unique name and it was certainly fitting for the situation. She was unique, and there were no others quite like her, to her knowledge.

Growing up was interesting because her family soon realized that she was growing at an unprecedented rate. They feared for her life; that she would only be with them for a short amount of time. But as the months passed, her growth rate slowed significantly. By the time she was about 2 months old, she looked like a small toddler. This complicated things quite a bit. People would notice her rapid development. And there was no denying that she was Bella and Edward's child. She was a perfect mix of the couple. She had beautiful curls like Bella and Charlie but with that rare golden-bronze color of Edward. She had Edward's high cheekbones, perfect nose, smile, Bella's eyes, ears, and lips.

They had planned on leaving Forks as soon as they came up with a convincing enough story as to why they were all leaving Forks so soon and creating a believable story regarding both Edward and Bella's "deaths." That all went to shit real fast though.

She was out in the woods behind the cottage with her father and Alice when they got the frantic phone call from her mother. You see, Edward and Bella were supposed to be in Switzerland, for an extended vacation after Bella became "ill" during the honeymoon. They were supposed to get into a horrific car accident while in Switzerland within the next 2 days, killing the newlyweds in the process. It was a perfect plan. It had no flaws. It had no faults. No one—not even the wolves or the Denali coven—knew the truth. None of them knew about Renesmee. So it was honestly a mystery as to how all of this could have possibly occurred.

Charlie had been in the woods on account of a missing person's alert. It was a small child, about 5 years old that had wandered off the trail away from his parents. It really was a split second decision. After clearing the area that had been under his search, he impulsively decided to make his way to the Cullen's and see if they had heard from Bella. About 4 days before, he had walked in on a cryptic conversation between Sue, Billy and Sam regarding the Cullen's and Bella becoming a "cold-one." When he asked, they tried to skirt around the topic. But Charlie wasn't falling for it. After a few minutes of a very intense stare-down between the police chief and his best friend. He became informed of the tribe's greatest secret. Billy felt obligated to share the information with Charlie. He had every right to know exactly what was going on with his daughter. It was not customary to let outsiders know but, it was obvious that Sue and Charlie would most likely end up marrying in the very near future. Charlie had all but married into the world of the supernatural. So after a crash course on shapeshifters and a little bit of tribal history regarding the cold ones, Charlie was just as in on the secret as the rest of them. But the Cullens did not know this.

She got to the main house about 4 minutes after the call had been received. Surprisingly, Bella's control was leaps and bounds better than they could have expected. After being confronted by Charlie regarding the lies, Bella, Carlisle and Edward confirmed everything that Billy had informed him. They stressed that maintaining the secret was of upmost importance in order to ensure everyone's safety. Charlie agreed, under the condition that they wouldn't leave unless they had to and that he would be able to keep in contact with his daughter and the granddaughter he had just been introduced to.

Meeting Charlie was something she would never forget. The look on his face, the wonder he experienced after gazing upon the child made her feel special. He knelt down to her level and looked right at her, "She's got your eyes Bella. And your nose Edward."

In all honesty, Charlie knowing was a relief for the entire family. There was no need to run and hide. There was no need to cut ties with Charlie and Forks. It had truly become home to all of them. With Charlie in the loop though, it became necessary to inform the wolves and tribe elders of Renesmee's existence. The well-kept secret was out and it called for a change in the way things were handled.

After Charlie's marriage to Sue, there had been a blend of worlds that didn't exactly get along before. Wolves, vampires, and humans were all present at a wedding that most would have never seen coming. It mended the relations that had once been strained. After seeing that she wasn't a threat, many of the people at the Rez warmed up to her. Renesmee's presence was a breath of fresh air to everyone. After years of vampire drama and destruction, something good and pure came out of the unlikely union between the vampire and his human love interest. Even Leah's heart was thawed by the sweet hybrid.

She had this way of wrapping everyone around her little finger. She was a lovely thing that had bonded with the pack as she spent her free time playing with the other kids and racing the wolves. As a result of their new arrangement, they actually discovered many similarities between her and the wolves. With Carlisle being their exclusive physician—for obvious reasons—they discovered that both she and the wolves ran at a similar temperature and that they had the same chromosomal count. These things, among others fostered a kinship between the two species.

The pack became very protective of young Renesmee. They watched her flourish and grow for the first year of her life, into a beautiful little thing. By that time, she looked about seven and it became harder to hide the young one from prying eyes. Many thought that Bella and Edward were studying in Dartmouth, making going out in public incredibly difficult to do without being recognized. On top of that, people began to notice Carlisle and Esme were not aging. The couple was supposed to be in their early forties but even passing off as in their thirties was a major stretch. Sadly, it came time for the family to move once again.

Saying goodbye to all she had ever known and the place where her family was created much more difficult than any of them could have ever anticipated. Forks had become home. It was a place they would all dearly miss. She would miss Charlie. She would miss Sue. She would miss Billy and Seth and Leah and Emily and Sam and Embry and Quil and Claire and everyone else that she would have to leave behind. She would especially miss her little Lucas. Sure he was technically her uncle, but in reality, he was like the little cousin she never had.

They ended up relocating to Lake Ketchum, Washington. It was even smaller than Forks, not quite as rainy and only 4 hours away from the town where she had been born. Living there wasn't so bad. It was charming and quaint but for the first year of life there, she was left alone at home with Esme during the day, being homeschooled while her parents, aunts and uncles went to high school all over again. It was boring and she was never allowed out in public because of her advanced growth. It was the downside of being a hybrid. Thankfully, she would take many trips down to Charlie and the Swans would occasionally come visit the vampire coven.

After about 2 years in Lake Ketchum, the family made plans to move once again. By this time, she was 4 years old but looked about 12 (mentally was around 16). One day she went up to her mother and asked her a question that all had been wondering, "Mom, when am I going to get my numbers?"

Normally, soulmate numbers appeared at the age of 12 but since she was anything but normal, Renesmee was left questioning when (or even if) her numbers would appear on her skin to lead her to her prince charming. Bella looked at her daughter and sighed, "I don't know sweetheart. But whether they come in or not, it doesn't make you any less special or any less you and it can't control your happiness."

The years passed and Renesmee grew. At the age of 5, she looked about 14 or 15. At the age of 6 she could easily be as old as either of her parents. Towards her seventh birthday, Carlisle noticed that she had seemingly stopped growing. It was a relief to the family as a whole when it appeared that after years of accelerated development, she had finally stopped aging, looking to be around 19 or 20 years old. She was seemingly frozen, just like the rest of them. And even though they still did not have all the answers, she and her family were at peace knowing that they would not have to say goodbye so soon. Her seventh birthday was celebrated in La Push, surrounded by family and friends that smiled knowing that she would have many more birthdays to come.

In that span of time, the Cullen clan moved many times. After Lake Ketchum, they found themselves in Odessa, Washington. Soon after, they moved to Houghton, Michigan and currently they were taking up residence in Elkins, West Virginia. The cross-country move was strange for Renesmee. She had grown accustomed to the climate and game of the Pacific Northwest, so her transition to that town was quite different from what she was used to. The most jarring change was her entering into high school along with the rest of her family members.

Elkins High School was not the worst when it came to high schools. However, the amount of people in attendance did make her a little nervous. The number of students attending the school was around 930; the entirety of the population of Lake Ketchum. Her first day was both exciting and nerve-racking. For one, she was excited to go to high school for the first time and experience all the things that she saw in the movies. On the other hand, she wasn't looking forward to having to sit through boring lessons of material that she had already learned thanks to the colorful education she had received. Thanks to her family's homeschooling methods she was well-versed in English and American literature, had extensive knowledge on American and European history and politics, knew enough biology to enter med school and she could perform higher level math problems with ease.

As she exited the car, she could already feel the stares on her. The whispers didn't help much. _"Looks like the Cullen's adopted another one." "Damn, where did she come from?" "I hope she's single." "Look at her legs, gosh I'm jealous." "Is being supernaturally gorgeous a requirement to be adopted by this family?" "Oh. I'm gonna tap that."_

She didn't really know what do when she heard the comments made about her. She knew wearing that black and white striped dress with her heels and jean jacket would garner some attention, but Alice had insisted and Rosalie spend an hour planning her hair and makeup around the outfit so she decided to suck it up and stick out like a sore thumb. Still, she couldn't shake the part of her wanted to make her curl in on herself and disappear. However, one look at her Aunt Rosalie made her take a deep breath and stand up straighter, lifting her head high as she walked through the doors of the school into the office.

The story here was that she was Edward's cousin, Renesmee Masen and the Cullen's newest foster child. She was 17 years old, a junior in high school and was put into the system due to previous dangerous home environment. She came to the Cullen family over the summer and had been living with them for the past month or so.

One would think that with such a story, most people would not prod into her background, but Elkins was a small town and small towns thrived off of gossip. It seemed that everywhere she went, someone was asking her for more details that what had already been provided. Thankfully, she had at least family member in every class to help her fend off the slew of questions being thrown her way.

That first day alone she was asked out maybe nine times and rejected every single one of them. It's not that some of the guys that asked her out were not attractive, it was that she had no desire to be with someone her was not her soulmate. Somewhere deep down inside, she knew she was being just slightly delusional. She had no numbers; she had no soulmate. It wasn't the end all, be all though. She most likely had a life mate somewhere that would die of old age one day as she stood immortal. Still, she held onto the hope that one day she would be given the opportunity to meet her soulmate.

That didn't mean she was a prude, however. She had received her first kiss from a nice boy named Carter who was trying to win a bet against some assholes who bullied so she decided to help him out. She made a couple of friends during her time at Elkins High School—one of them being Carter—but made sure to keep people at a distance for the inevitable moment when she would have to pack up and move with her family to another town. Being a hybrid—that's what Papa Carlisle liked to call her—had its drawbacks. She could not be friends with neither humans nor vampires. Aside from her family, the rest of the vampire community had no idea that she existed. Fear of the Volturi kept her from being able to meet any of the Cullen's friends, including their cousins, the Denalis. When she was younger, it did not affect her as much as it did now. She had the wolves and the tribe before. She had Claire and Emily and Seth and Leah and so many people to keep her happy and occupied. And while she loved her family, sometimes there were times where she felt she was missing something, or rather someone.

She took up a slew of hobbies in an effort to fill the void. She was fluent in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Mandarin, Russian, Arabic, Hebrew and Greek. She played piano, guitar, violin, saxophone, flute, ukulele, drums, bass, cello and the French horn. She was skilled in creative writing, songwriting, cooking, sewing, interior design, painting, computer programing, architecture, and fixing cars. She loved to read and go snowboarding and run through the forest and play baseball and soccer and watch basketball and volleyball and to learn and teach and tutor and volunteer in foster homes and go to a small little church and act in plays and design clothing and volunteer at the hospital with her Papa Carlisle. She was incredibly active and got involved in whatever she could. She was content but never complete; happy but never overflowing with joy.

Years passed and she graduated high school twice before she decided that it was time for change. It wasn't that they hadn't moved around or that they hadn't changed cover stories and names; they had done all of that. What she craved was independence. She was eleven years old for crying out loud. She had been an adult for the past 4 years and decided that now was the time to leave the nest.

Her parents, although they weren't surprised, were saddened to hear that she wanted to leave. She didn't want to go just anywhere, though. There was one place that was calling her heart and it was her hometown of Forks. Of course though, Mama Esme came to the rescue by reminding her parents that they were immortal, and they could not be expected to live together forever but they would have countless years to enjoy one another. Grandpa Charlie, Nana Sue, Lucas, Seth, Leah, Claire (who by now was blossoming into a beautiful young teenager), Quil, Emily, Sam, Embry, Billy and the rest of the group would eventually die, even the wolves, deciding to stop phasing in order to grow old with their imprints. So, with her family's emotional and financial support, she was able to enroll into a few history, psychology, sociology and political science classes at Peninsula College and obtain a job at the local library as a Spanish tutor.

Moving into Charlie's house was a fun but slightly nerve-racking experience. For the first time in her life, she would be moving away from the Cullen's for more than a two week time period. Of course with Forks being the tiny town it was, people had questions as to who she could be. She definitely bared some resemblance to Charlie. She had his eyes, his dimples and thick curls—albeit in a different color but it was apparent that they were related. So to the outside world, she was Charlie's niece, Vanessa Carlie Swan, who was living with them for some time while she was in college so that she could get away from city life and get to know her cousin Lucas. It was a pretty solid story, since everyone knew that Charlie had an older brother that moved out of Forks for the big city the moment he was 18 years old.

Her welcome party was quite the affair. The pack, the imprints, Lucas, the children, her grandfather and Sue, and just about half of the town of Forks was in attendance. Everyone was very excited to meet her and all the mothers were eager to introduce her to their sons. One woman named Mrs. Morton was more eager than most.

"Oh, Vanessa you darling thing! This is my son Owen. He was just accepted into the University of Washington. He is going to study Business Management so that he can take over the family business once Roger retires."

She nodded her head and smiled politely at Owen in greeting, "It's very nice to meet you."

He stared at her for a moment before being able to form a sentence, "You as well, Vanessa. I'm sorry I got distracted there. You're just so beautiful."

She chuckled nervously, trying to figure out a way to say thank you but without making sound like she was interested in pursuing anything with him. She went with a simple, "Thanks."

It wasn't that Owen was unattractive. On the contrary, he was about 5' 10", dirty blond hair, hazel eyes, lean, and had a nice smile. But he wasn't the one. And she'd be damned if she let fate take away her soulmate due to her impatience. She was only eleven after all. Her twelfth birthday wouldn't be for another 3 months and then she would find out for sure if her soulmate even existed.

She made it through the rest of the party, being introduced to eight eligible "bachelors" in attendance. Despite people's desires to medal in your business, Forks was honestly the most charming place and her favorite place she had ever lived. Once a week, she would go visit the old Cullen mansion to clean or read from the array of books they had or to use the surrounding forest to hunt.

She loved Forks. She loved her tribe. She loved La Push. She loved her job. She loved her life. She loved her independence. But yet, something was missing. One day she was out with Lucas just after school started talking about the forest. He asked her questions about what it was like to be able to share her thoughts and emotions through touch. Showing him was always her favorite part of the entire experience. His eyes opened up in wonder as she showed him his big sister Bella, "I miss her."

"Me too, Luke." She replied.

"When can we see her again?" He asked.

"I don't know, hopefully soon." She answered. "She said that she doesn't think that they'll make it for Christmas but maybe New Year's."

"Okay, because I really want her to shield my brain from Edward so I can finally play chess and win! Also, I really want a ride through the forest."

She laughed, "You know, I can give you a ride any time you want. All you've got to do is ask."

"Yeah, well you see Nessie, you're not as fast as they are so it's not the same." He called her by the sweet moniker he had given her when he was 3 years old.

"Wow! I see how it is. You use me to show you my thoughts and pictures but since I'm not as fast as a full vampire you decide to trade me for someone else."

"Well, it's not like I'm trading you for just anyone. I'm trading you for my sister." He reasoned.

"Yeah, like that softens the blow." She teased.

They laid on the grass continuing with the lighthearted back and forth banter until things got a little more serious. "Nessie tomorrow is your birthday."

"Yes it is," She affirmed.

"You're turning twelve tomorrow aren't you?"

"Yeah, Luke, I'm turning twelve years old tomorrow."

"Does that mean your numbers will finally come in?" He asked.

"I don't know," She stated simply. The majority of her life had been filled with uncertainties so it this shouldn't affect her as much as it did. "It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't but, sometimes I feel as if I'm broken since I don't have them."

"What do you mean?" Luke tilted his head.

"Well, I'm not exactly a human and I'm not exactly a vampire. I'm one of a kind. It's almost unnatural so the idea of not having a soulmate makes me feel as if I was left out; as if I'm a freak of nature."

They were both quiet for a little while before Luke spoke up once again, "I think they're going to come in."

"I wouldn't get your hopes up kid."

"I'm serious Nessie," he sat up so he could look her in the eyes. "I know your numbers will come. You know why? It's because you're too good of a person to not have a soulmate. You are special and one of the best people I know. If anyone deserves a soulmate that will last forever, it's you."

She looked at her young uncle with glassy eyes, "I hope you're right Lukie. I hope you're right."

Her conversation with Lucas stood with her all night as she got ready for bed in the little room Charlie and her father had built for her in what used to be the garage. She brushed her wet curls and stared into nothingness, contemplating whether or not she should go to sleep or stay up and see if her numbers came in. Ultimately, the practical side of her decided to just go to bed and see what happened.

She woke up at around midnight with a start. She felt a searing pain travel throughout her body, concentrating itself around her wrist. She gasped out in pain and gripped her wrist close to her chest until the sharpness faded away into a dull ache that left her arm feeling warm and sore. Finally feeling alright enough to let go of her wrist, she takes a look at her arm in her dimly lit room.

A clock appeared on the inside of her left wrist. Her eyes widened when she saw what was happening. Zeros were rapidly spinning, going faster and faster until they began to blur. Eventually, the zeros stopped spinning and all that was heard was a ticking sound. She stared at her wrist intently when suddenly, the most incredible thing happened: the zeros disappeared. In its place were numbers, displayed boldly.

00:03:09

She couldn't believe her eyes. She had a soulmate? For years Renesmee had been wondering if she had a soulmate. She thought she didn't have one. _There is no way_ , she thought, _that's impossibl_ e. But deep down she knew it wasn't that strange of a thought. Stranger things happened every day. Her life was a testament to that.

Knowing she would meet her soulmate in three months and nine days was both exciting and terrifying. She was in Forks, Washington. It was a small town. She had been living there for months now and it was apparent that everyone knew everyone. Rather than ask her who she had met, the better question to ask was who the hell she hadn't met yet.

She tried to keep it a secret. She really did try. That all went to shit as soon as Leah and Seth showed up to the house in the morning to celebrate her birthday with a birthday breakfast. The only female wolf grabbed her arm after seeing the clock out of the corner of her eye. Leah's eyes widened looking at the time stamp on the young hybrid's wrist. "When did this come in?"

"Last night, at around midnight."

Everyone else in the home stopped what they were doing in confusion to take a closer look at her. Sue dropped the dishes she was washing back into the skin and gasped at the time stamp on the young woman's wrist. "Nessie, your numbers came in!"

With that, she was immediately crowded by the rest of her family who all came to take a look at the clock on the inside of her left wrist. Charlie left out a puff of laughter that prompted the rest of the group to smile and laugh with joy has they enveloped her into a hug. Seth picked her up and swung her around congratulating her for her soulmate who was out there somewhere. Sue and Charlie talked about how close she was to finally meeting her soulmate while grabbing the closest phone to call the Cullen's.

She Facetimed her mother and father, showing them the time stamp on her arm that predicted she would find her soulmate in 3 months and 9 days; just 5 days before Christmas. They rejoiced with her and the rest of the Cullen's rushed over to see and congratulate her on getting her numbers.

"I can't wait to meet this guy," said Jasper. "I wonder if he's a human or a vampire."

"Alice, can you try and look?" asked Esme.

"I'm trying my best but everything surrounding Nessie is blurry. When I try to look into that far into the future, instead of getting clearer, it gets blurrier." Alice replied.

"I bet her soulmate is one of the wolves!" Emmett exclaimed. "Who wants to put money on it? I wager 100 dollars!"

"I'll take free money from you any day." Jasper responded.

Rosalie scoffed, "Please her soulmate isn't one of the wolves. She's met all of them already. Besides, I don't think any of you would be okay with living with a stinky wolf for eternity. No offense, Seth and Leah."

Seth came into view of the camera and shrugged, "Hey none taken, you guys smell too."

"I still say it's a wolf," Emmett shrugged.

They continued to laugh and joke around, celebrating her birthday and her soulmate with her until it was time for her to leave Charlie and Sue's and go to class.

"Hey sweetheart," her dad called out. "Be sure to check the mail when you get back home today."

She smiled brightly at her family, "I love you guys."

"We love you too, Ness."

Just before she was going to walk out the door she looked over to Lucas to see his eyes shining, a bright smile gracing his face. "I told you, you would find your soulmate,"

"Yeah Lukie, you were right."


	3. Uncertainties

He slept in the majority of the morning after he arrived back in Forks. He woke up to the smell of pancakes, eggs and coffee being made in the kitchen. He rolled out of his childhood bed and strolled into the bathroom to shower and rejoin the land of the living. When he walked out he was greeted by his father setting the table and handing him a glass of orange juice.

"Since when did you learn to make breakfast that wasn't cereal?" he asked the older Native man rolling around the dining area.

"I didn't," he quipped back. "Check and see who's in the kitchen."

He did as he was told and rounded the corner to the small kitchen when he saw her. "Jacob!"

He lifted her up in his arms and spun her around laughing joyfully, "Becca! I didn't know you were here."

"I didn't know you were here little bro!" his sister replied. "Gosh, I haven't seen you in ages. Since Rach and Paul's forth kid, Jacy was born 5 years ago. Where have you been?"

"Here, there and everywhere." He smiled at his older sister. "I was in Florida for a while. I loved it but something was missing."

"Or maybe someone…" his sister winked at him playfully.

He shook his head and smiled at his sister. Even though a lot of time had passed, some things never changed. He observed her for a little while. His 32-year-old sister was beautiful. She had long, pin-straight dark hair with caramel highlights, styled in a low pony-tail, dark eyes, tan skin and an absolutely glowing smile. She was the mother of 3 beautiful children, one of whom he had the pleasure of meeting. She was married to an awesome guy—who just so happened to be her soulmate—and he couldn't be happier for her. But she also knew nothing about the supernatural.

"Not to be rude or anything, but why are you here?" He asked.

Becca looked up from the eggs and pancakes she was serving him, "Well, the kids hadn't seen daddy or their cousins in a while so I thought it was a good idea to come and spend Christmas with everyone and Solomon agreed. You being here works out perfectly because now Thomas can meet his uncle and Maya can reacquaint herself with you."

They heard the pitter-patter of feet running up the ramp at the front of the house, "Speaking of…"

"We're here, grandpa! We're here!" Three small children bolted into the house, followed by a slightly out of breath blond male with a funny expression on his face.

So he spent the morning meeting and reacquainting himself with his nieces and nephews, sisters and brother-in-laws (Rachel and Paul came over shortly after breakfast). He thanked his lucky stars that being a werewolf gave him enhanced memorization skills because how was he supposed to remember the names of all the children his sisters had had. Paul Jr was easy enough to remember but then came Elan, Axe, Jacy, Cuba and now finally a girl whose name was going to be Tala Dakota Lahote.

The day went along and he was exhausted when he finally got into the bed. Just as he started to close his eyes he heard his father wheel into his room. "You know, we're going to have to buy you a new bed if you decide to stay for a while this time. Before it was doable because you were a kid but now you're a grown man. A very tall, grown man. It's time for a big boy bed."

He chuckled at his father's antics, "Ha-ha, very funny dad. I think I might take you up on that offer though."

Coming to the realization of what he had said, his father smiled. "Well you take the car out and we'll go to Port Angeles first thing in the morning because tomorrow we're celebrating Sue's birthday at First Beach."

"Do you think they'll hate me for not being around for so long only to decide to move back after all these years?" He asked after a while in silence. Coming back for a few weeks during his father's birthday or Thanksgiving and occasionally Christmas was one thing, but coming back to stay for a while was something completely different. Sam was only phasing once every few months in order to get his body used to giving up his wolf so he could age with his family and when he stopped, the pack would no longer have an alpha. Jacob was the person next in line to take that position from him. Technically, it was _his_ to begin with but he didn't want it. He didn't even want to be a wolf. He wanted independence and he had abandoned his pack and now he just expected them to just accept him as their new alpha?

"Jacob, why did you come back?" His father asked.

He looked down at the ground for a moment before answering, "You know when you're at a great place in your life and everything is going good and life couldn't be any better? That's the place I was at in my life. I was comfortable and happy and satisfied but I kept feeling this pull that there was something else out there that I was missing." He looked down at the wrist he had been covering for the last twelve years, "And I don't know, but I just felt this call to come home; to drop everything I had, the life I had made for myself, the friends I had bonded with, my job, my position in the church I was going to, all to come here. It was like my soul was telling me, stop sitting on your ass and move. Because the only way to grow and get what you want out of life to step out of your comfort zone and live."

Billy wheeled over to his son and placed a hand on his shoulder, "They aren't going to hate you. And this is the reason why. You aren't the same boy you were 12 years ago. You are a man, worthy to be leader and chief of the tribe and to be loved by your people."

The pair embrace for a long moment before Jacob spoke, "I missed you dad."

"I missed you too, son."

So, the next day he and his father made their way to the largest furniture store in Port Angeles and bought an entirely new bedroom set that could fit all of his belongings. Just before leaving, they stopped at an antique shop to buy Sue a present.

"Are you ready to see everyone tonight?" Billy questioned.

"Why are we celebrating tonight? It's a Thursday. Sue's birthday isn't until tomorrow, anyway."

"Charlie works tomorrow night. He's not going to miss his own wife's birthday party. And stop trying to change the subject." Billy smacked Jacob lightly on the head as he bent over to put the boxes into the bed of the truck.

"Hey!"

"Answer the question, Jake."

"I'm… interested that I get to reconnect with them tonight." He responded slowly.

Billy chuckled out, "Oh stop being so overdramatic. I get enough of that from that lovely brother-in-law of yours Paul."

"I'll try but no promises, dad."

"Come on, get your sorry ass in the car and let's go. We still have to pick up a pie from the bakery in town before we get to the beach."

"Nessie! Can you go pick up the cheese croissants from the bakery in town? I was going to get them myself but I don't have time and you know they're mom's favorites." Leah yelled from the driveway as she was loading stuff into the truck.

"I guess," she shrugged as she stared down at the numbers on her wrist that had finally counted down to zero.

Leah sighed as she looked at Renesmee's sullen face, "Nessie, you're supposed to meet your soulmate today, what's wrong?"

"I don't know. It just really hit me that I have already met almost everyone that lives in this town and today I'm going to be with family, celebrating Nana Sue's birthday and I just don't think its going to happen. I'm spending all day with everyone I love and am close to. How am I supposed to meet my soulmate today?"

"It just finds you. Look at what happened with Sam and Emily. Emily was coming over for dinner to my house after being stuck at home all day and Sam thought he could care less about having a soulmate. But they found each other and the rest is history."

She could've made a whole bunch of excuses and brought up the fact that Sam imprinted on Emily, therefore it was different. But she sighed and got up from her spot on the front steps of the house and went over to her modest Jeep Renegade left to go get the cheese croissants that Leah had requested.

The drive there wasn't a long one, but it gave her time to do some much-needed self-reflection. For so long, not having a soulmate affected her self-worth. She felt out of place and like a freak as a result of her lack of numbers. When they finally came in, she finally was able to get a sense of what it is to feel normal. It was a relief to get them; an answer to her prayers. But now that the day had come and her numbers had reached zero, she felt anxious. She was worried that it was all a fluke; that she wouldn't feel that instant connection to her soulmate as a result of her being caught in between two worlds.

She walked into the bakery and smiled when she heard Mr. Hudson greet her, "Vanessa! Long time no see. How have you been?"

"Hi Mr. Hudson! I've been well, how about you?"

"Oh I've been doing great hon, and for the hundredth time, call me Geoffrey. Are you here to pick up the croissants for Sue?" the old man smiled at her.

"I sure am,"

Mr. Hudson walked around the other side of the counter and motioned for her to follow him, "Alright, how 'bout you bring your car out around the back so that we don't have to worry about dropping the trays."

And even though she could easily have carried the 4 trays of cheese croissants out to her car alone without breaking a sweat, she nodded and moved her car behind the bakery to load them into the backseat. "All right Mr. Hudson, I mean Geoffrey, the car is ready."

As they were loading the trays into her car, the bell from the front of the bakery rang. "Be right there," Mr. Hudson called out.

"Take your time," the person replied back.

Renesmee's heart fluttered a few times hearing that voice. It was husky and warm and inviting and had a strange cadence to it that didn't sound as shaky as a normal human. She took a deep breath in an effort to smell the person inside. _Funny, I've never met this person before. I would've remembered the scent._

And she really would have. The man inside the bakery smelled better than anyone one she had ever smelled before. His scent, much like his voice was warm. He smelled like cinnamon and pine trees and apples and home. His heartbeat was slow and steady in comparison to her hummingbird heart. She peered into the bakery where Mr. Hudson was attending the young man and saw the back of the young man's head. He had thick black hair, tan skin, was incredibly tall, and his muscles were bulging from underneath his blue and white flannel shirt. Call her crazy, but he looked Quileute. Her brows furrowed together as she tried to figure out if she had ever encountered him before. _If only he would turn around._

Her breath hitched in her throat as she heard him speaking to Mr. Hudson about pie recommendations. The tall man stiffened as if he had heard her breath catch. Her eyes widened and she quickly hid behind the door. She never thought something so mundane would be her undoing. She was panicking and she had to get out of there.

She took a deep breath and shouted out to the baker, "Goodbye Mr. Hudson, thanks again!" She ran out to her car and drove away, no clear destination in mind, she just needed to get out of there.

By the time she had finally got back to the house, Leah was outside. "Nessie! Where the hell were you? I needed you to pick me up over an hour ago. I can't hold this box of supplies in my mouth and run. Seth already set up the tent, but I still need to put up the string lights, bring the happy birthday banner, and put the tablecloths on the tables. Thank God Emily is cooking because I don't know what I'd do if I was in charge of the food too."

"Ness. Nessie. Renesmee. Hello, Earth to Renesmee," Leah waved her hand in front of the young hybrid, snapping her out of her trance. "Are you listening to a word of what I just said? What happened? You look like you've seen a ghost."

She took a seat on the porch steps and put her head in her hands, "I think I met my soulmate."

Leah's eyes widened, "What do you mean you _think_ you met your soulmate? Once you look into their eyes you're supposed to know just know."

"Well… I may have heard him and seen him and ran away before he got the chance to turn around and look at me." She mumbled.

"Renesmee! What do you mean you _ran away_? You've been waiting for this your whole life. I'd give anything to meet my soulmate, right here, right now. But I still have to wait 3 more years. How could you just leave?"

"I was scared okay! I heard his voice and I smelled him, and he just felt like home. My heart started doing these little summersaults and all of a sudden, I couldn't breathe. Which is ridiculous, considering that I can hold my breath for over an hour. The worst part is that he didn't even know I was there. I hid and when it seemed like he heard me, I panicked, ran out of the bakery, and hopped into the car before we even got a chance to make eye contact. I ran away and blew my one chance. I completely blew it. I don't even know what his face looks life!" She exclaimed.

The young woman next to her sighed, "Hey, it's okay Ness. It's not the end of the world. You know you don't need to have soulmate to be happy. And who's to say you only have one soulmate? Yeah sure we might have a romantic soulmate and wolves may have imprints, but I believe soulmates take many shapes and forms. Like us, I believe you're my soul sister. You were so unexpected but so needed. You get me like no one else. And you make me a happier, better person. We may not be blood but you're my best friend. I'd rather know I'll have you in my life forever than cry over some guy I've never met."

She sniffed and wiped her eyes, "You're my best friend too, Leah."

They hugged each other before Leah got up, "Okay, give me the keys. We have a party to prepare for. Now, I order you to have fun and spend time with people who love and care about you."

She looked out the window as Leah drove down to the Rez, "He looked Quileute."

Leah glanced over at her, "Maybe he was from the Makah tribe. That's what happened with Emily and Sam, and Claire and Quil. Mr. Hudson's bakery is the closest and best one to both reservations."

"Maybe."

They got down to the beach and finished putting up the string lights and streamers by the time Emily and Sam got down to the beach with trays full of pasta, burgers, salad, and fruit out to the tent. "Hey Leah, hey Ness! Where do you want these trays?"

Leah directed Sam to the long tables with black tablecloths covering them, "Right there. Make sure to turn all the gas burners on so that the food doesn't get cold."

Emily ran up to her and Leah and embraced them, "Hi ladies. I hope I made enough food for everyone. I know there are only like 35 of us coming but these people eat for a hundred."

"I'm sure there will be plenty," Leah replied. "Thanks again for doing this. You have no idea how much I appreciate it. I can't imagine how long it must of taken you to do this with 2 kids running around the house and being ready to pop any minute."

"Of course! Aunt Sue is like a second mom to me. Anyway, all this work is good for. Hopefully it will bring on labor because I am ready to not be pregnant. Little Koda here has overstayed his welcome. And who knows? Maybe we'll have a Christmas baby!" Emily said. "By the way it looks great out here! I love the lights."

"Thanks," Leah smiled. "They were Renesmee's idea."

She gave the two of them a shy smile and ducked her head down to hide a slight blush, "Anything for Nana Sue. Even though its cold and rainy outside, doesn't mean that her birthday can't feel warm and cozy."

Slowly but surely, people began arriving to the party. "Hey Nessie!" "How's it going _Vanessa_?" "Nessa, its so good to see you!" "Hey girl! What's up?" She received her fair share of bone crushing hugs from the pack that she was sure would've left her with bruises if not for her vampire-like skin.

Before long, she heard a very distinct pattern of footsteps that caused her to break out into a smile, "Nessie!"

She hugged her 'attacker' as he gripped her sides tightly, "Hey Lukie! So, what do you think of Sue's party?"

"It looks great! You all did a great job. I would've helped, but I was a little busy trying to keep mom distracted so that she wouldn't feel tempted to come and help set up her own party."

She laughed out loud, "Well yeah, that definitely sounds like something your mom would do."

"Come on, I think Seth is finally here with the soccer ball. Let's play!"

She chuckled to herself but followed the young boy and took her shoes off and flipped up the hood of her raincoat to go play soccer in the cold wet sand. Seth, Lucas, Quil and Renesmee laughed and played for a few minutes in the rain before running under the tent for cover as the spray got heavier. She took off her raincoat and dried off her feet before putting her boots back on and piling up some mac n' cheese onto her plate and sitting at a table.

"Billy you made it! And you brought a pie." she heard Charlie say.

She smiled to herself and turned around to look at the new arrival. Out of the people of La Push, Billy was probably one of her favorites. When the tribe found out about her existence, he was one of the first people to meet her. Instead of shunning her, he embraced her and called her the exception from the treaty and believed that she'd be the one to unite Quileutes and vampires together. Billy had always been an uncle/second father type figure to her. Whenever the world was just too much and she felt inadequate, he reminded her its not what we are missing, but what we have that truly matters.

He rolled around in his wheelchair greeting everyone, finally stopping at her. "Hey Nessie, how ya doing?"

"Fashionably late I see," she chuckled, "I'm doing great Billy. Want some food?"

"Maybe later, I have someone parking the truck that I want to reintroduce to everyone." He replied.

That's when she sensed it. It was like the air had shifted. She heard the heavy footsteps shuffling in the sand and the steady beat of his heart thumping like a military drum. She smelled his warm, homey scent and that's when she knew. Her time had finally come.


End file.
